


Eyes In Love

by pandorabox82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-01-23 22:36:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1581890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorabox82/pseuds/pandorabox82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave has no idea how to help his Erin when he finds out that her granddaughter is near death and in desperate need of a transplant. As she begins to let him in and give him control, will a startling revelation from their past bring them closer together or tear them apart?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Dave found his girlfriend staring at her clasped hands, a far-off look on her face. "Erin?" he asked softly as he closed the door to her office.

"Karen just called," she whispered.

"And?" he prodded, going over to her side. She hadn't let him in like this before and he found that he wanted to be there for her, to learn what made her tick beyond amazing sex.

"There's a problem with the baby. Her liver is failing, and the doctors don't know why." She finally looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears as she stared at him. "She's in ICU right now."

"Do you want to go see her?" She nodded. "I'll go with you." He went over to her side and helped her to stand. Erin collapsed against his chest, her tears breaking down into sobs. He rubbed her back softly as she curled her hands into his shirt. "Oh, Erin, everything is going to be okay, in time."

"Do you promise me that?" Her voice was soft and tender, something he had last heard the night of Jennifer's wedding and he felt compelled to promise her the moon if it would make her feel better.

"Yes, I promise you that." She nuzzled her face into his chest before pulling away from him to gaze into his eyes. "What is it?"

"Seal your promise with a kiss." He nodded and delicately kissed her lips before placing the echo of a kiss on her forehead. "I don't know if I can do this, David."

"Correction, you cannot do this alone. That's why you have me." He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her over to the door. Helen looked up from her computer, a confused look on her face. "Erin and I are headed out. Hold all her calls until Thursday. If it's something pressing, call me first. Oh, and let Hotch know that we're going to be out of the office tomorrow." She nodded, making a note on a post-it.

They went over to the elevators and Erin just seemed to deflate against him as they waited. "Would you mind terribly if I let you take control for a while, then?"

He felt her sigh as he nodded. "If that's what you need of me, Erin." The doors opened and they stepped inside. Dave reached out and pressed the button for the parking garage, never letting go of his woman. She would kill him if she knew he thought of her like that, but at the moment, it was true. She was his, and he was going to show her that that was what she needed in her life.

Erin sniffled lowly and pulled a tissue out of her purse, wiping her eyes and nose. "What if Helena dies?"

"You'll get through it. It will be rough on you, but you will get through it." He thought about his own sweet baby James, and felt tears prickle his eyes.

"You sound like you speak from experience," she murmured as she splayed her left hand out on his chest.

"I do." He took a deep breath. "There was a reason that Carolyn and I broke up. We shouldn't have, seeing as how we never stopped loving each other, right up until the very end last year. Neither of us could get past the grief of losing our baby. He was born about three months early, which in the late seventies was almost a death sentence. They didn't have the technology like they do now."

"Oh, David, you never told me this before."

"It was never the right time to do so. I blamed myself for a long time, you know." He had never told anyone that, ever, and he wondered why he was doing so now, of all times.

"Why?"

"We had gotten into an argument about how much time I was spending on the road at the BAU. She was worried about the pregnancy from the word go, seeing as how her own mother had had a rough time carrying to term. We had a huge fight right before I headed out to Tulsa on some case, and then I got the call from her doctor. I didn't have a profile yet, so I had to stay." Dave felt her tears wet his shirt, and he rubbed her back, struggling not to cry himself. "I did make it back in time to hold him before he died. That was the end of us."

"I don't want this to mark the end of us," she said lowly as the doors opened once more and they stepped out among the cars. "I don't think I could bear to lose you now, on top of this. I would go back to drinking and lose everything."

Her admission, hesitant though it was, tore his heart to shreds as he stopped them right there and hugged her tightly. She sobbed against his chest and he just rubbed her back, placing soft kisses on her temple as she struggled to get control of her emotions once more. "You won't lose me, babe. We'll get through this together."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He kissed her upturned lips and then led her over to his Escalade, helping her up into the passenger seat. Once they were underway, he turned his head slightly to look at her. "Which hospital is Helena at?"

"St. Vincent's. I guess they have the best pediatric care."

"And that is exactly what she needs." A tremulous smile crossed her face as she nodded. His phone rang and he pulled it out to see Penelope calling him. "What can I do for you, Kitten?"

"Hotch is kinda mad right now. We're supposed to be briefing a new case in ten minutes and you are nowhere to be found."

"Didn't he get my message from Helen?"

"Well, yes, but he is still on the warpath. You all are heading out after the case is briefed, and it's not like Alex is helping any. God, could they have picked a bigger bitch to put on our team?" He chuckled a little, looking over at Erin and knowing she would wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. "Anyway, he wants you back here."

"I'm sorry, but I have promises to keep."

"And miles to go before you sleep?"

"Something like that, Kitten. Just tell Hotch that sometimes matters of the heart trump the job that we do."

She sighed a little, and he knew she had figured him out. "I love that you are such a closet romantic, Sir. See you Thursday!" She hung up and he stuck the phone back in his pocket.

"Well?"

"She's going to cover for me. And she dislikes Alex as much as you do. You know, if you teamed up with Penelope, you could make that woman's life a living nightmare." A soft laugh poured out of her and he smiled. "That's what I like to hear. Karen is going to need you to be strong for her, since you're her mother. God knows what kind of support Alan will give her."

She nodded. "I know, David. My god, do I know." They continued on to the hospital and she stared out the window, sniffling lowly as the miles closed between them and her granddaughter.


	2. Chapter 2

Dave pulled into the first available parking spot he saw in the ramp and then went over to Erin's side, opening the door for her. She climbed out and took hold of his hand, threading her fingers with his. It was a gesture that surprised him, usually she was so hesitant to initiate physical contact outside of their bedrooms. "Helena is in the Peds ICU on the fifth floor."

He nodded and she took off at a fast clip. Getting caught off guard, he found himself stumbling a little before matching her pace, yet still letting her lead him ever onwards. The wait for the elevators seemed to take forever and Erin tapped her foot impatiently. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close. She stiffened a little before relaxing against him, and he just tightened his arm, letting her know that he would not be letting her go.

The walk over to the hospital didn't take long and Dave let her lead him over to the elevator bank. There weren't many others on the elevator at that time of day, which allowed him to hold on to his lover. She must have started crying again, as he felt her turn her face into his chest to avoid the looks of the others.

They were the first ones off the elevator and he looked down the corridor, hoping that Harriet or her husband would make their appearance. He did not relish having to deal with Alan at a time like this, but knew that as a father, he wouldn't be far from his child. Harriet peeked her head around the corner and smiled at them in relief. Beckoning towards them, she motioned with her head as to where they should go.

"Harriet's waiting for us," Dave murmured in Erin's ear as he began to turn her in the right direction. This shorter distance seemed to take much longer for them to traverse and he just held her tightly as they got closer and closer.

"Mom! Thank God you're finally here. Dad hasn't made it yet, but at least I have you!" Dave watched the young woman collapse against her mother, sobs wracking her body. Erin gently led her into the room, their bodies becoming more entwined the closer they got to the incubator.

"Erin, what do you need me to do?" he murmured in her ear as he let his arm come to rest around both their waists.

"Just be here with us. Harriet, where's Greg? I would have thought that he would be here."

"He's out putting out a fire right now. The moment he can get free, his chief said that he'd send him right over. I'm so glad I have both of you here." Harriet pulled away a little to kiss Erin's cheek, and then she was reaching down into the bassinet and picking Helena up. The baby was so small, smaller than he remembered, and Dave found tears prickling his eyes as he reached out. Harriet motioned for him to come closer, and then she was carefully handing Helena over to him.

Breathing in deeply, Dave gently cradled the baby in his arms, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he made his way over to the window to look down into her face. There was something so familiar about her features, and he wondered if he was seeing Erin in her granddaughter. "She's so tiny, Harriet."

"I know. The doctor said that she's lost seven ounces already. I thought that being sleepy all the time was a thing with babies, you know? Like kittens. But then, I noticed her skin turning yellow and took her to her pediatrician. He diagnosed her with acute liver failure, and we tried to get her healthy once more. That was when you were in rehab, Mom. I couldn't tell you. And now, that's not working anymore. She needs a transplant, and we're stuck here until one is found."

"Oh, precious," Erin murmured as she wrapped her in a tight hug, kissing her head as she ran her hand through Harriet's hair. "I am so sorry that I wasn't able to help you with this. I promise, I won't leave your side, never again."

"All right," Harriet said thickly before starting to cry once more, burying her face in Erin's chest. The tender scene tugged at his heartstrings, and he began to croon softly to his almost granddaughter, hoping that he could get her to go back to sleep as she stretched a little in his arms.

"You need to grow strong and fight for your life, little Helena. Everyone here loves you so much," he said lowly as he sank down into the rocker that was in the corner of the room. Using his foot to push them back and forth, he looked at his lover and her daughter, wishing desperately that this could have been his life. And it could have been, too, had he been able to convince Erin to leave Alan after the first night they had spent together.

Erin must have felt his eyes on her, since she looked over at him, a sad smile on her lips, love shining from her eyes. "You make that look so natural, David. It's a shame you never had children, you would have been a perfect father."

"It's times like these that I miss James," he whispered and she nodded, tugging Harriet over to his side so that they could watch the baby sleep in his arms. "I wish there was something more that I could do for you, Harriet. I hate to feel so helpless."

The young woman took a deep breath as she looked between the two of them. "Well, there is a rather large favor that I have to ask of both of you. Even when Helena makes it on the UNOS list, it will still be a long wait for a viable donor. Everything must converge at the right time to see that she gets an organ. And, well, I don't know if you can or not, Mom, but I was thinking that it wouldn't hurt for either of you to get tested to be potential living donors."

Dave and Erin locked eyes, and he knew in a heartbeat what his answer would be. "There's no harm in getting tested and finding out, now is there? And if I can donate, I will. Isn't it really easy?"

Harriet nodded in relief as she sank to her knees, reaching out to run her hand over her baby's head, tears still tracking down her face. "Thanks, Dave. Mom?"

"I'm with David, honey. If I match, and if I can, I will donate. Like you said, though, I'm not certain what my problem has done to my liver." The sorrow in her voice overwhelmed Dave, and he let his eyes close as he felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder, squeezing tightly. It was nothing to cock his head to one side, to rest his cheek atop her hand, to commune with them in this moment. He only hoped that this trial that they were going through would have a happy ending.


	3. Chapter 3

Dave held on to Helena for as long as he could, up until she started to root around his chest, obviously hungry. Harriet smiled as she took her baby from his arms, discreetly arranging things so that she could feed her daughter with a little bit of privacy. Slinging his arm around Erin's waist, Dave drew her close to his chest as they watched over Harriet.

"Where did you say her room was again?"

Erin stiffened at the sound of her ex-husband's voice, and she curled her hand around his bicep, the tips of her fingers digging into the muscle as she took a few deep breaths through her nose. "Everything will be fine, Erin. I'm here, after all."

"I know, but that does not make me feel better at the moment." She stood on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. "All right, everything will be fine," she parroted back, her eyes never leaving the doorway as they awaited his entrance.

"Harriet! I got here…" Alan's voice trailed off as he looked at Dave and Erin. A deep look of disgust altered his features into an ugly mask, and he felt Erin shiver. "Oh, you two are here. Why does that not surprise me?"

The venom that dripped off those words would have poisoned a lesser man, but Dave took it in stride, cocking an eyebrow as he looked the shorter man up and down, dismissing him in one glance. "Some of us actually drop everything when we hear that a loved one is in the hospital."

Alan snorted rudely as he swept over to Harriet, and Dave felt Erin shudder against him. There was something about the movement that concerned him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. "Don't think, just because you're some big shot now, that you can come in here trying to buy my children's affection and loyalty."

There was something about the way the man emphasized the word _my_ that rankled Dave, and he went to comment on it when Erin tightened her arm around his waist, as if she was imploring him not to make a scene. Still, he couldn't keep from getting one low shot in. "I think that we shouldn't be focusing on things like that, and instead focusing on Helena. This is going to be a hard enough trial as it is, and she's just a baby. My money will afford us to get the best specialists here, who can make certain that she's okay. That is my focus right now."

"And it helps that you're fucking my ex-wife," Alan said bitterly, and Dave was ready to lunge for his throat, to sock him in the jaw to shut him up and keep him from hurting Erin more. Thankfully, Bruce stepped between them, glaring at his father. "What?"

"Mom, Dave, and I are going to take a walk for about fifteen minutes. By the time we get back, you should probably be gone. Dave's right, this tension is not good for Helena or Harriet and Greg."

A long look passed between father and son, and it suddenly hit Dave that the boy did not look like Erin or his father. Though he couldn't quite put his finger on who he looked like, which he knew would be a great way to distract Erin. He could get her to show him old pictures of her family, and they could hunt down which great uncle Bruce looked most like. "Fine. But take your time."

Bruce gave his father a tight nod before guiding Erin and Dave out into the hall. "Sorry, I didn't realize how bitter he was still. He really does love us, and sometimes that love manifests in weird ways."

Erin gave a small shrug, and that movement told Dave that she was still more upset than she was letting on. He knew that they wouldn't be discussing that in front of Bruce, so he filed it away to talk about later, when they were home. "And we did not end our marriage on a harmonious note, Bruce. There is still a lot of acrimony between us, and I'm not really certain where it all came from."

Erin turned her face, looking at him guiltily, and he felt an accompanying flush warm his cheeks, thinking about the affair they had carried on throughout the nineties. They had both tried to be discreet, but still, Erin had felt like Alan had known the entire time. "It's weird how love can twist into hate," he murmured as he bent his head and gave her a tender kiss.

"Isn't it, though?" From the tone of her voice, he knew that she was thinking about their final fight, and how they had torn each other down to the foundations before spitting words of hatred and anger at each other. "Oh, Bruce, I pray that you never have to go through what I did. I should never have treated your father the way that I did."

There was bitter regret in her voice, and he wondered what had put that there. They drifted closer together as Bruce led them down the hall to a waiting room. Erin sat heavily, and Bruce took a seat next to her, reaching out for her hand and clasping it tightly before motioning for Dave to sit down as well. "Mom, you did the best you could. I know that Dad wasn't the easiest person to get along with. I remember some of the fights that you two got into."

She let out a deep sigh as she leaned back against Dave, her head coming to rest right above his heart as she looked down into her lap. "I'm sorry that you had to hear those, Brucie. I never wanted our troubles to become your troubles."

"But family isn't always so neat, Mom. We learn to love each other, warts and all. And I know that you wanted to protect us, but you having to be so strong meant that you never were able to let us know that you were human." Bruce got into her personal space then, giving her a tight hug. Over her shoulder, the young man stared at him, and he squirmed a little under the scrutiny. "I am glad that you have Dave, though, to help you out. You need someone like him near you, to catch you when you fall."

"I don't plan on doing that, Bruce," she murmured as she pushed him away. "I have my children and my love. I don't need anything more."

Bruce nodded, and a contemplative silence fell over the trio. Dave found himself running his hand up and down Erin's arm until her breathing evened out, and she was napping once more. "Sleep will do wonders for her."

"I know. Um, Dave? Would you mind getting tested as a potential bone marrow donor? It's really easy, all they do is swab your cheek for buccal cells, and then they run the tests to see if you're compatible. We've done it already, but Mom and Dad still need to, as well."

"I would love to do that, Bruce. As soon as we get back to the room, we can talk to the doctor about getting us both tested. Hopefully, Erin will be a match."

"From your lips to God's ears, Dave." They shared an understanding look, and Dave relaxed back against the chair, his eyes never leaving Erin's face as she slept.


End file.
